Being visually impaired, getting things ‘right in camera’ as so many photography publications, websites, writers and ‘experts’ advise you to do, is not an option. I am blind in one eye, and have no lens (Aphakia), a damaged retina, damaged iris and a permanently dilated pupil (Mydriasis) in the other, which all means that I have a high sensitivity to light. Attempting to hold an iPhone (my camera of choice) and a pocket magnifier whilst trying to capture scenes in the street is an ongoing technical challenge and a physically uncomfortable process. A further issue for me is ‘after image’ (where a partial image or shape in bright light stays in my visual field for longer than it should). I catch glimpses and fragments of passing events in my limited peripheral vision. Did it actually happen? Was it just a shadow, a reflection on a window or a trick of the light? This is all in addition to the permanent visual noise that floats across my eyes like grain on a VHS tape. I have learned how to deal with the limitations and I devised a new approach.

My background is in the independent music industry and cut–up / remix culture has always fascinated me with the skill of adding samples, layers and disparate elements to create completely new works. I have taken this method into my own visual style by curating imagery from the scenes and passing moments that I capture and combine these with processed sections from found photographs that have resonated with me on a graphic level. The end result is equal parts chance and intention where the story that is emerging suggests new threads as I add the disparate elements together.

Drawing inspiration from the photography of Richard Koci Hernandez, Giacomo Brunelli and Anton Corbijn, I have chosen to present the work in black and white, bringing attention to the textures, moods and tones and indeed the timelessness that monochrome work brings with it.